The smell of spring is in the air in Greater Columbus — not the smell of hyacinths or daffodils, but the smell of freshly applied hardwood mulch around trees and shrubs and other perennial plants.

Twenty years ago a tree surrounded by wood chips was rare indeed. Today the practice is commonplace, for a number of very good reasons: Replacing grass around a tree with mulch allows the tree more ...

I think I’d be hard pressed to find a gardener unaware of mulch, that stuff you put under plants to help keep down weeds and make your landscape beds look more defined. But there’s more to mulch than ...

Lawn with mature trees, colorful flowers, and a low wall - Mint Images/Getty Images When done properly, mulching around trees provides much-needed benefits. It helps to prevent water loss and protects ...

Homeowners who are looking for ways to promote healthy, growing trees in their yard are well-advised to remember this axiom: A ring is a tree’s best friend. Kansas State University horticulture expert ...

Many well-meaning homeowners are making a fatal mistake when fertilizing their trees, but this nature-loving TikToker will help you avoid it. Urban forestry TikToker Alexa Rice (@alexachristinarice) ...

A pile of wood chips will break down over time and become compost, among other things. Last year I piled extra mulch into knee-high piles around my shed and near my garden. The heat, rain, worms and ...

Fallen leaves make a fine mulch for garden beds and trees and shrubs, but they aren’t the only possibility. “Any kind of organic matter can make a good mulch,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge ...